Mount Forest Patriots
| arena = Mount Forest District Community Centrehttp://www.ohahockey.org/files/document/file_name/9700/MFPatriots_Schedule_Regular2007-08.pdf | colours = Black, Green, Yellow, and White | coach = Trent McClementHome | Ontario Hockey Association | GM = Rob Nixon | parentclub = | farmclub = | |}} The Mount Forest Patriots are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team based in Mount Forest, Ontario, Canada. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League after having played in the Western Junior C Hockey League (WJCHL). History With their expansion into the Ontario Hockey Association in 1987, the Patriots served as a catalyst for the genesis of the Grey-Bruce Junior "C" Hockey League (GBJHL) into the WJCHL. Until 1987, all teams in the GBJHL were from Grey County and Bruce County. Mount Forest, at the Southern border of Grey County, is actually a part of Wellington County and therefore rendered the GBJHL inadequate. The expansion of the Pats came soon after the folding of the Markdale MohawksMarkdaleJuniors and the Arthur EaglesAncasterShamrocks, two local Junior "D" teams. Following nine years of WJCHL domination by the Hanover BaronsWelcome To The Home of the Hanover Barons, the Patriots came into their own. The team won three consecutive league titles from 1994 until 1996'Mount Forest Confederate' Sports Section, March 1996, but could not surpass the Belle River Canadiens (1994)Mount Forest Confederate Sports Section, March 1994, Bowmanville Eagles (1995)Mount Forest Confederate Sports Section, March 1995, or the Paris Mounties (1996) in the early rounds of the All-Ontario Championship to win the Clarence Schmalz Cup. In 1998, the Patriots were designated the farm team of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League's Durham HuskiesThe Durham Chronicle Sports Section, August 1998. This relationship resulted in the Patriots fielding the first Russian to play in the WJCHL, Valentine Lidvanov'Owen Sound Sun Times' Sports Section, November 1998, however the teams' affiliation was severed in 2001 when the Huskies left the OPJHL to join the WJCHL'The Durham Chronicle' Sports Section, April 2001. The Huskies were granted leave from the OPJHL'The Durham Chronicle' Sports Section, February 2001, but were voted out of the WJCHL before they could play a game. The Pats have struggled to obtain their first winning season since 1998. None-the-less, the community of Mount Forest stands firmly behind them, often filling the arena at home games. The 2004-05 season ended with the Mount Forest Patriots on the outside looking in. At the very end of the season, the upstart Goderich Sailors jumped ahead of the Patriots to take control of the fourth playoff seed and leaving the Patriots eliminated from the playoffs.Home | Ontario Hockey Association In 2005-06, the Patriots finished in last place overall but took advantage of an expanded playoff format introduced that season. The playoffs did not last long though as the Hanover Barons swept the Patriots in the league quarter-final 2-games-to-none. The 2006-07 season ended with the Patriots back up in the fifth seed. They challenged the Hanover Barons in the league quarter-final and were defeated 3-games-to-1. Season-by-Season Standings (*) The 1999-00 Season was altered drastically due to the folding of the Lakeshore Pirates. As a disproportionate amount of games had been played by each team against Lakeshore, all history of these games were erased. If they had been included, the Patriots' record against the Pirates was 4-0-0.Owen Sound Sun Times Sports Section, November 1999. *1987-1996'Owen Sound Sun Times' Sports Section final standings *1996-2004'Mount Forest Confederate' Sports Section final standings'Owen Sound Sun Times' Sports Section for Goal totals *2004-PresentHome | Ontario Hockey Association References External links *Official Patriots Webpage Category:Ontario Hockey Association Category:Western Ontario Junior C Hockey League team Category:Canadian ice hockey teams Category:Established in 1987